Car expert sees reasons to be cheerful for buyers

10:21am Monday 1st September 2008

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As the 58 registration plate comes into force today, the credit crunch knows no bounds. But one North-East car expert sees reason for consumers to rejoice. Motoring writer Ian Lamming reports.

WALK into any car dealership at the moment and you will be greeted by obliging salespeople and a myriad of special offers.

While the temptation may be to ride out the credit crunch in an ageing jalopy, there has never been a better time to change the car.

In fact, by investing in a new set of wheels, owners could save ultimately because the latest offerings are so much more efficient.

Modern metal is better value for money, more economical and cleaner for the environment at a time when £6-a-gallon fuel is more like liquid gold than propulsion propellant.

Do nothing and you are also in danger of being harried by the taxman, as the Government attempts to save the world from meltdown by penalising the worst polluters.

For decades, Alasdair Mac- Conachie has been selling cars and appreciates more than most that this is a difficult time for the economy as a whole.

But the managing director of Sherwoods says the power currently lies with the purchaser, with deals to be had and economic brightness around the next bend.

“From a business point of view, the good thing about challenging times like these is that it concentrates the mind to become as competitive and efficient as you possibly can,”

he said.

“You have to adapt and we have already geared ourselves up and made changes towards this end. You have to have well-trained people and it is essential that you are customer- friendly.”

Over the years, the buying public has been influenced by countless factors when choosing a car, and manufacturers go to extraordinary lengths to promote their particular brand.

Marketing was once all about speed, handling and sporty looks. Sex sold and bonnets were draped in scantily- clad women.

Politically-correct family man then came to the fore with the need to carry more people in greater comfort and safety. All of a sudden, antilock brakes and the number of airbags were more important than how quickly it would reach 60mph, and adverts seemed to be full of crash test dummies.

“But today there is much, much greater emphasis on fuel efficiency,” said Mr Mac- Conachie, who also chairs Darlington Partnership. “If people are spending £50 to £100 filling their fuel tanks, they want it to last as long as possible.

“This is where technology comes to the fore, particularly with modern diesels. We have vehicles, for instance, which can travel more than 70 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Other manufacturers are following suit and vehicles are also a lot cleaner, so they can qualify for the lower rate of car tax.”

A lot of people are deciding to down-size to keep running costs to a minimum. But again, they benefit from the latest models, which are larger physically than the ones they replace. The new Corsa, for instance, is about the same size as the very first Astra, while the latest Astra matches the old Cavalier for space.

Buyers are also becoming less badge-orientated and are looking for value for money.

As well as Vauxhall, Sherwoods sells Chevrolet at its Darlington, Stockton and Northallerton branches, a range which offers the reliability and feelgood factor of a new car, but at the cost of some second-hand vehicles.

Those buyers who must always have the very latest model are looking forward to the end of the year and the launch of a host of new vehicles, including Vauxhall’s Vectra replacement, the Insignia, a car bristling with technology, including a camera which recognises speed limits and warns the driver.

“This is the most exciting car for us since the Cavalier,”

said Mr MacConachie. “There is already a lot of interest in the car over and above any other we have launched. It’s the most exciting project from GM in a long time.”

Having a new model on the horizon also results in good deals on end-of-the-line Vectras.

Consumers are benefiting from fierce competition in the market place. Special offers abound, with price reductions, free insurance, zero per cent finance and cars with free features, such as alloy wheels, climate control and fog lights.

Sherwoods runs a scheme called Ecoflex, where customers receive £1,000 for their old banger in part exchange for some new models. The old car is then taken off the road and crushed.

Other schemes offer discounts to certain businesses, public sector organisations and the military, and there are big savings on pre-registered vehicles never been owned by anyone else, which have only a few miles on the clock.

“There are lots of reasons to be optimistic,” said Mr Mac- Conachie. “It is clear that the economy will start improving early next year and, although it will not be as buoyant as it was in 2006-7, it should be much better than it is now.”